Generator Defense is a brand new game type being rolled out by Bungie towards the end of the beta. It features 3v3 combat, with one team being Spartans, and the other Elites. This is a different game type that Bungie has never tried before, and they seem certain it will be a hit among players.

The Spartan team objective is to defend three generators that are placed on the map. When spawning, you have a lot of choices for loadouts, and you are able to choose your spawn location. Whenever a generator is taking damage, your HUD gives you an indicator of which one, so you can swiftly go take care of the situation.

As an Elite, your single job is to destroy the generators any way you can. Shoot them, smash them, grenade them, anything you can do to do damage to them will help your team to victory. You must destroy all three generators in order to win the round. Don’t think that you’re left defenseless though Spartans. Each generator features a defense mechanism, that when triggered by one of the Spartans, gives the generators 30 seconds of invulnerability. This is key in strategy to defend the generators, because timing of this shield is everything.

Generator Defense is played on a brand new map not yet seen in the beta, Overlook. In the beta, Overlook is only used for generator defense, but it very well could be used for other game types when Reach launches this fall.

Spartans get the high ground off of the initial spawn, and have to get right to work immediately. The Elites spawn down low near a river and are rushing up to destroy the three generators.

Be sure to pay attention when you die to every different area you can spawn. Use the d-pad to scroll up and down through spawn location, and pick the one best suited for the situation.

Generator Defense hits the beta very soon, with some speculation it could be as early as the 14th. Stay tuned to haloreachtips.net for all of the latest information regarding generator defense and the Halo Reach beta.

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So you played a few games in the Arena, and now you have a random number next to your gamertag. Wondering what it is? That is your Arena rating, a number you earned through playing in the Arena that ranks you among the other players.

Each game in the Arena you play earns you a rating. For the sake of keeping this simple, I’m not going to include all of the complex formulas, but instead, break down the very basics of earning a high arena rating.

First, you want to focus on kills. But don’t be mad that your team mate swooped in and took a kill you had been working on. As long as you get an assist, you’re all good. Assists are weighted equally to kills, in order to promote team play in the arena. Each death you earn takes away a certain percentage of the rating you earned, so try to die as little as possible. Also, betraying a team mate negates one kill you earned. So watch that friendly fire, it can be detrimental to your arena rating.

So let’s go back over the basics:

• Get as many kills as possible
• Get as many assists as possible (weighted as much as a kill)
• Die as little as possible
• Avoid betrayals

Sounds easy enough, right? In theory, yes, but things get a little harder since your opponents are trying to do the same things.

You must play 3 games a day to earn an arena rating  Also, your arena rating is only composed of your best three games of the day. So if you have one horrible game, but 3 amazing ones, the horrible one wont effect your rating at all.

If you earn a rating on enough days, you are ranked into a division. The divisions are:

• Steel (1)
• Bronze (2)
• Silver (3)
• Gold (4)
• Onyx (5)

With steel being the worst and Onyx being the best. It is possible to move up and down divisions, but you would have to dramatically improve or get worse for this to happen.

At the end of each season, you are given statistics about how you compare to other players within your division. Then, a new season begins, and you start the process all over again.

Written by: Admin

Invasion is a game type of six Spartans on six Elites. Each team is split up into three “fireteams” of two people. Spartans spawn up top with two classes available, a DMR class and an assault rifle class. The Elites spawn bottom with two classes available, a needler class with an invisibility trait and a plasma rifle class with elite tuck and roll.You are given different areas to spawn when you are killed, and you are also given the option to spawn on your teammate as long as he is not in combat.

The main objective is for the Spartans to defend the objectives which are shield generators and a data core. The Elites are to destroy the objectives and steal the data core taking it to a waiting Phantom. Once the Elites complete each objective, more of the map opens up and the Spartans must fall back and defend the next set of objectives. Sounds simple enough right?

Throughout the whole process different loadouts will be available to use from each team ranging from a sword class with the Elites to a grenade launcher class for the Spartans. This causes much more hectic combat, and makes the whole scenario much more intense as well. With the loadouts also comes vehicle unlocks ranging from a Warthog and Ghost to a Scorpion Tank and Wraith.

The Elites have three minutes to complete each objective. If not, the Spartans automatically win. The only way for the Elites to win is for them to retrieve the data core and take it to the waiting Phantom.

This is all taking place on the largest map that has ever been released by Bunige, Boneyard.

Teamwork is key in this game type, especially from the start. Since the Spartans spawn with DMRs and on the high ground, they can easily pin and hold the advancing Elites in their spawn if team work is used. If the Elites make it past this point, it gets increasingly more difficult to stop them.

Make sure to use the different load outs to your advantage for each given situation. The grenade launchers are great against vehicles, while the shotgun class is the best for defending the data core at close range. Use these in combination with the different areas you can spawn, and you just may come out on top in Invasion.

Written by: Chris G

Edited by: Admin

You have logged hours into the Halo Reach beta. The grab bag play lists have been fun and all, but something about constant games of Stockpile just isn’t doing it for you anymore. You want to find players who take Halo Reach more serious, compete, and most of all, play some slayer. It’s time for you to jump into the arena, Halo Reach’s ranked play list. It may seem daunting at first, but once you’ve finished reading this guide, you’ll be ready to jump in and frag the other team.

The Arena is the bread and butter of Halo Reach. It’s where the best of the best come to compete and take each other on in slayer only game types. Are you the type of person who takes Halo seriously, loves statistics, and wants the best competition possible? Then the Arena is for you, my friend.

In the beta, the Arena is limited to three game types, and two maps. The game types are Slayer, Slayer Classic, and Slayer Pro. Slayer is the basic Halo Reach setup. You have four different load out options, all featuring the same basic starting weapons (AR/pistol/2 grenades), but each with its own armor ability. Slayer classic also features the AR/Pistol start, but you only have the option of sprint as an armor ability.

Finally, Slayer Pro is the most hardcore of the three options. It features your choice of a DMR start  or Needle rifle start, each only having one grenade to begin with instead of two. If you choose the DMR, you get a frag, while choosing the Needle Rifle gets you a sticky. Also, like slayer classic, you only have the option of sprint as an armor ability. The biggest change in the pro game type however, is the removal of the radar. Add in the DMR starts, and teamwork becomes a must of you wish to survive a game of Slayer Pro.

The only two maps in the Arena are Swordbase and Powerhouse, both of which you should be accustomed to by now if you have logged a few hours in the grab bag play list. Weapon spawns stay the same, so there isn’t much of a learning curve in that aspect. Teamwork is critical on both maps, since both feature long sight lines and not many spots designed to hold and camp.

Pay attention to the location of your team mates and use your headset to communicate, even if it is only to give call outs of the other team. A team working together is going to win 99 out of 100 times versus a team that isn’t talking. Also, be sure to take note of the call outs on the maps and learn them. Bungie has been kind enough to name almost every single spot on every single map. This is located on the bottom left of your screen. Using these to communicate with teammates is essential for survival in the Arena.

Using this basic knowledge, you should feel much better about jumping into the Arena. Be on the lookout for our guide to the Arena Ranking system. Also, if you haven’t read our article on how to improve your game, go do it now!

Editor’s Note: Halo Reach is currently in the Beta at the time of this article. By the time the final version comes out, the game could be substantially different. New, revised articles will be posted once the final version has been released.

Written By: Admin